US mini logoHome | A-Z Index | People | Reference | Contact us
Special Collections : Library
special collections home | access | services | the collections | library home

Mass-Observation Archive: Topic Collections

Please go to the new Special Collections Website at The Keep

This page is no longer updated. Please visit our new pages at The Keep: http://www.thekeep.info/.

These pages may contain out of date information. Links to these pages may no longer work in the future.

POETRY 1939-40

TC 73: 1 box only

73/1/A: Correspondence 1940

Typewritten letter to Charles Madge of Mass-Observation from L J Isserlis of Poetry and the People, asking if he would put his name to an Appeal Committee. 9.2.40

Typed appeal on behalf of Poetry and the People asking for donations, including a list of names on the Appeal Committee, undated

Typed letter from L J Isserlis, Secretary of Poetry and the People enclosing a free copy to encourage people to buy it regularly, undated

Handwritten letter to Tom Harrisson of Mass-Observation from Cyril Connolly of Horizon asking him to write an article for the magazine, and generally discussing the war situation. 11.8.40

Handwritten letter from John Waller, Editor of Kingdom Come asking Tom Harrisson of M-O if he would write a short article for the magazine. 18.4.40

Typed letter from Elizabeth Waller, subeditor of Kingdom Come enclosing a copy of the magazine, asking for a contribution to the next publication, probably to Tom Harrisson, 28.10.40

Handwritten letter from Stanley Chersy, who states that he does not believe in war and including an anti-war poem. Undated probably sent to M-O

73/1/B: Typed extracts of poems 1939-40

Typed poems by Flora Macdonald, "Theology" 8.11.39, "Earth" 1.1.40, "To the Church of Rome" 29.10.36, "To a Divided Church" 17.3.40, "Mastery" 26.2.40, "The Woman of the Future" 26.3.40

Typed poems selected from published sources, eg New Statesman, Life and Letters, Tribune, Time and Tide, The Listener, The Star, Daily Sketch, William Hickey, Daily Express, War Songs, Poems on Hitler, anti-semitic version of 'Onward Christian Soldiers' hymn

73/1/C: Popularity of poetry 1939-40

Interview with bookshop employees in Better Books, Collett's and Zwemmers about sales of poetry in London, November 1939 (BA)

Telephone interview with publishers: Dents, Faber, Poetry Society, Zwemmers, Hogarth Press and Julian Symons of Twentieth Century Verse, Foyles, Stephen Spender (who wasn't at home) about poets and poetry publishing Nov-Dec 1939 (BA)

Interviews with Editor of Poetry Review, Manager of Better Books Ltd., Manager of Collett's Bookshop, Assistant at Foyle's, Manager of Zwemmers, Sales Manager at Faber and Faber and Manager of Truslove and Hanson about sales of poetry

73/1/D: Horizon questionnaire replies

28 completed printed questionnaire replies sent to Horizon readers: 10 questions on attitudes to Horizon; cost, layout and content, Jan 1941

73/1/E: Press cuttings, poems and articles 1939-40

Miscellaneous press cuttings of poems and articles on poetry: Daily Mirror, Daily Express, Sketch, Star, Daily Mail, Herald, and News Chronicle

73/1/F: Analysis of war poetry in the Press and Periodicals 1939-40

Analysis of poetry appearing in Poetry and the People, Times, Mirror, Sketch, Mail, Kingdom Come, Verse-Reel, New Statesman, Life and Letters, Time and Tide and The Listener, 1939-40. (HP)

73/1/G: Mass-Observation reports on poetry 1939-40

Typed report with handwritten notes by M-O analysing the effects of war on poetry. 5.12.39. (BA)

Typed "Synopsis of Poetry" recommending more research into war poetry. 9.1.40 (BA)

Typewritten report with handwritten notes on condition of poetry, with extracts from Horizon, Night Review, Kingdom Come, Tribune, Poetry Review, Seven, Wales, Verse-Reel, and individual extracts by professional poets including John Masefield. 2.3.40 (BA)

73/1/H: Publications 1939-40

Printed leaflet advertising War Poems by V Moore published by The Harmony Press

Printed programme for three plays to be performed at The Railway Hotel, Greenford, Middlesex on 3.11.39 by The Taveners

Mass-Observation Studies 1937-55

Page maintained by: Library Web Team Disclaimer | Feedback